As is well known, the production and use of explosives is an extensive and far-reaching industry. Research through the centuries has developed many useful applications for the known explosives, including the industrial blasting utilized in the mining and road building industries, as well as the harnessing of tiny explosions for use in internal combustion engines. The military use of gun powder and other explosives in rifles, artillery, bombs and the like is also well known.
Concurrently with the benefits derived from the useful application of explosives, the world has been forced to endure the disastrous results which too often occur when explosives are accidentally detonated, such as in the case of explosions in coal mines, fuel tank fields, homes, automobiles, ships, airliners, and the like. Similarly, the world is faced with incidents in which bombs are used for terrorist or other illegal purposes.
There has been a considerable effort to develop products and methods for protecting structures against the destruction which occurs when explosives are detonated in their vicinity, either accidentally or for sinister purposes. Although some progress has been made, the loss of human lives and the destruction of property from explosions continues at an unacceptable rate, and there is continued intense effort to find practical, effective and economical ways of improving anti-explosive products and techniques.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a padding material which possess significantly enhanced explosion suppressing properties.
It is another object of the invention to produce an anti-explosion pad containing extremely lightweight components which serve in a surprisingly effective manner to dissipate the shock waves resulting from the detonation of an explosive material.
It is a further object to provide methods for use of the new anti-explosion pad in the protection of structures which are otherwise subject to severe damage from the explosive force of a detonated bomb.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the specification proceeds.